Namit Cafe & Restaurant

Namit Cafe is such a special place. I don’t usually eat much Filipino food, but this was hands-down the best I’ve ever had—so authentic and full of flavor. Mark and Natalie are so kind, and Esther made us feel right at home. Their fun dessert menu is also amazing—I loved everything we tried. Support this local business! They’re doing such a great job, and you can tell they truly know what they’re doing. Highly recommend!

My siblings and I went on a filipino food roadtrip around Chicago, and this was one of our favorite spots!! The interior is beautifully decorated with plants & string lights. The food was INCREDIBLE. We started off with lumpia (classic & veggie options), which came perfectly crunchy & fresh out of the fryer (not pictured bc we were too hungry to take photos lol). My personal favorites were the pancit & chicken sisig! The pancit has the perfect ratio of noodles to veggies, and is very flavorful yet still feels light and not greasy at all. The chicken sisig was soooo delicious (idk how they seasoned it but I could eat it for days on end) and came with super crispy tofu pieces mixed in as well. I'm not usually the biggest fan of tofu, but they know how to cook it right with the most flavor & perfect texture. We also ordered bangsilog & vegetarian kare kare (made with sunflower seeds instead of peanut butter, very considerate for those with peanut allergies!!) for my pescetarian sibling, and she loved both dishes! Each dish paired perfectly with their tasty garlic rice. We ordered halo-halo for dessert, which had a perfect amount of toppings like ice cream, leche flan (rich & creamy, made in-house along w/ the ube halaya!), and rice crispies (stayed perfectly crispy even after mixing it into the milk & ice). *Update: I should clarify this was food for 4 ppl total and we boxed up some leftovers 😅 10/10 Filipino hospitality!! Everyone in this family-run restaurant was incredibly kind, attentive, and friendly. Our server very warmly welcomed us to Chicago and made us feel right at home. I was initially worried because we walked in 40 minutes before closing, but we never felt rushed or pressured. In fact, we were encouraged to take our time and order dessert as well. This experience made me wish I could move to Chicago just to come here again and again. Next time, my siblings and I hope to bring our parents too!

Excellent, Tasteful, Authentic and Healthy Filipino foods! Very friendly very nice staff and owners (Rhona and Natalie). I was surprised they offer Vegan options they cater to your food preference! Place is so neat and clean and cozy. My son tried the quail kwelkwek, chicken sisig and it was flavorful, so good! I had the vegan caldereta, it tasted what a delicious caldereta should be and tofu kwekkwek. The halo-halo, banana-apple turon all delicious! We will definitely come back and try more of the menu. Price is reasonable for the delectable food they serve.

We had such a beautiful experience at Namit Café. Me and my friends were honestly blown away—not just by the food, which was incredibly delicious—but by how much it felt like home. Every bite reminded us of family meals, comfort food after a long day, and the warmth of growing up around a Filipino kitchen. What really touched us was the atmosphere. It didn’t feel like we were in a restaurant at all. It felt like we were visiting someone’s home—welcomed with smiles, kindness, and that signature Filipino hospitality. If you’re missing home or just want to experience food that’s cooked with love and heart, you have to visit Namit Café. We’ll definitely be coming back.

We were excited to try Filipino cuisine for the 1st time. We came on a Sunday morning around 10:30am. The wait for our food was excruciating long, like unbearable. We were a family of 3. We ordered 1 app the lumpia, 2 breakfast plates & 1 entree. All our food came out at different times. It was awkward to eat in front of my husband & son when they didn't get their plates yet. The waiter was super nice and did apologized for the long wait. The food itself was good but the long wait makes me never want to come back.

The chicken inasal was tasty and tender. The lumpiang shanghai was also tasty. The tapsilog was a little flat for me but my bf and brother said they liked it. Service was great, bathrooms clean.

AMAZING EXPERIENCE, WILL BE RETURNING WITH FRIENDS!!! An amazing restaurant with a delightful ambiance and delicious Filipino food. They have a wide variety of vegetarian dishes that are cooked to perfection. They also have some meat dishes for those who enjoy meat. The kitchen and service staff are so kind and friendly, you are treated as a special guest from walking through the door until you head back out. They also have delicious beverages that are Filipino in origin but also have soda pops and standard beverages. The warmth and hospitality of the Filipino culture is deeply felt. If you are in the Lincoln Square/Albany Park neighborhoods, you cannot miss this hidden gem in the north side of Chicago!

Cozy and very clean place. The staff was very friendly. Great food for my palate - one of my go to places when I miss food from back home. A must try.